Here is a look at the starting lineup for the 2017 Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is the season opener for the newly minted Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series but not the first event to award points.

If stock car racing fans have not already familiarized themselves with all the changes that have taken place before the green flag flies on the Great American Race on Sunday, be prepared for a bit of a shock. While the name of the event, the Daytona 500, the venue, Daytona International Speedway, and the size of the field, 40 cars, will still ring true, there have been many changes, and it starts with the name on the banner.

Monster Energy is the new title sponsor for the Premier Series, and its logo will be everywhere including the front windshield of every car. The driver’s name is now on the back. And once the race starts, be prepared for breaks in the action, unlike anything fans have seen before. A new era begins for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

For the first time, cars in the field will already have points courtesy of the Can-Am Duels. Nineteen drivers have already collected them based on where they finished on Thursday. Pole sitter Chase Elliott and Duel 2 winner Denny Hamlin have ten, all the way down to David Ragan and rookie Daniel Suarez with one each.

Next: The 2016 Daytona 500: A look back at a history making race

But the biggest change will come on lap 60 and again on 120 when the race will be halted because that “stage” has been completed and points awarded at the end of each as well as at the conclusion of the race.

Confused yet? Don’t worry; change is always hard in the beginning, and there will be plenty of people on FOX hoping to clear everything up. In the meantime, there is still a thing called racing, and that has not changed. So here are the 40 cars that will line up hoping to be the first across the finish line Sunday evening.

2017 DAYTONA 500 STARTING LINEUP:
1 – Chase Elliott
2 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3 – Jamie McMurray
4 – Denny Hamlin
5 – Kevin Harvick
6 – Clint Bowyer
7 – Brad Keselowski
8 – Kurt Busch
9 – Matt Kenseth
10 – AJ Allmendinger
11 – Trevor Bayne
12 – Austin Dillon
13 – Martin Truex Jr.
14 – Danica Patrick
15 – Aric Almirola
16 – Ryan Newman
17 – Joey Logano
18 – Kyle Larson
19 – Cole Whitt
20 – Ty Dillon
21 – Daniel Suarez
22 – David Ragan
23 – Kyle Busch
24 – Michael McDowell
25 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
26 – Jimmie Johnson
27 – Matt DiBenedetto
28 – Kasey Kahne
29 – Landon Cassill
30 – DJ Kennington
31 – Chris Buescher
32 – Michael Waltrip
33 – Joey Gase
34 – Jeffrey Earnhardt
35 – Corey Lajoie
36 – Erik Jones
37 – Paul Menard
38 – Ryan Blaney
39 – Brendan Gaughan
40 –  Elliott Sadler